Background
Amber Samuel filed an application for supervisory writs with the Louisiana Court of Appeal, First Circuit, seeking review of a ruling from the 18th Judicial District Court, Parish of Pointe Coupee (No. 2763), in a custody dispute against Ronald Ross, Jr. The writ application arose in the context of ongoing custody proceedings in the trial court.
At the time the writ application was considered, a custody trial was already scheduled for May 26, 2026 — just weeks away. The appellate court noted that the record before it on the writ application was incomplete, lacking the full evidentiary record that would be developed at trial.
The Court’s Holding
The Court of Appeal denied both the requested stay and the supervisory writ. The court declined to exercise its supervisory jurisdiction over the trial court proceedings, citing two reasons: the imminence of the May 26, 2026 custody trial and the absence of a complete evidentiary record in the writ application before it.
The denial was issued by a three-judge panel — Judges Lanier, Miller, and Fields — without a written opinion on the merits. The court’s declination reflects the well-established principle that supervisory jurisdiction is discretionary, and appellate courts routinely decline to intervene where an adequate remedy will shortly be available through a full trial on the merits.
Key Takeaways
- The First Circuit denied supervisory review where a custody trial was imminent and the evidentiary record was incomplete, signaling that interlocutory writ relief is disfavored when trial is weeks away.
- A stay pending writ review was also denied, meaning the trial court proceedings were permitted to continue on their existing schedule.
- Parties seeking emergency appellate relief in custody matters must present a complete factual record; an incomplete record alone can justify denial of supervisory jurisdiction.
Why It Matters
This disposition illustrates the high bar for obtaining interlocutory supervisory relief in Louisiana family law proceedings. Appellate courts are reluctant to intervene in custody disputes mid-stream when a full evidentiary hearing is imminent, as the trial court will have a superior opportunity to assess the evidence and the best interests of the child.
Practitioners handling contested custody matters should be mindful that writ applications filed close to a scheduled trial are unlikely to succeed absent extraordinary circumstances — and that an incomplete record before the appellate court will further undermine any such application.